Transom opener or closer.



No. 636,847. Patented Ndv. I4, I899 c. A. RICHARDS.

TRANSOM OPENER 0B CLOSER.

(Application filed June 4, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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NITE STATES CHARLES A. RICHARDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRANSOM OPENER OR CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,847, dated November 14, 1899.

, Application filed June 4, 1898. Serial No. 682,591. (No model.)

To all whowt it may concern:-

Beit known that I,- CHARLES A. RICHARDS, a citizen'of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transom Openers or Closers, of which the following is a specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective View of a portion of a door with a transom and transom opener and closer in place. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of a longitudinal section taken in line 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of a transverse section taken in line 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 shows a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2 with the parts in different positions.

In making my improved transom opener and closer as applied to a transom A, which is hinged, preferably, at its bottom, so as to open at its top, I attach to the end of the transom an arm B, which extends out from the transom a desired distance and then turns lat-. erally in an outward direction, as shown in Fig. 1. A link C is pivotally connected to the end of the arm B and to a bracket 0, attached to the upper end of a transom-rod D, arranged atthe side of the door-casing A and passing through suitable brackets d and d, attached to the door casing at suitable positions. A stationary rod D extends up from the bracket d to a bracket 01 near the upper end of the door-casing. The bracket 0 is provided with an eye surrounding or embracing the stationary rod D, so that it can slide or move up and down the same, as the transom-rod is moved up or down. The bracket (1 is made in the form of a box or case, as shown in the drawings, and for convenience we will speak of it under these designations. The box or case d has a rod E passing transversely through it near its inner edge and arranged, preferably, in notches e in its side walls, as shown in the drawings, so that such rod can havea desired amount of play. Bars E are centrally journaled on the transverse rod E within the box or case and near its respective sides, so as to permit them to oscillate or rock enough thereon to allow the plates pivoted thereon to adjust themselves to the transom-rod as required in operation, so as to be in alinement therewith. Pivoted near the ends of the bars are plates F and F, which incline toward each other and which are provided with holes passing through them at right angles and through which the transom-rod passes, as shown in the drawings. These plates incline toward each other, so that the edges of the holes bear or impinge against the transom-rod, as shown.

Arranged in the outer portion of the box or case is a coiled spring G, supported in or upon suitable bearings, so that the rod is held by the tension of the spring in its normal position toward the door-casing. The holes in the box or case through which the transomrod passes are made larger than the transomrod, so that the transom-rod can be pulled outward from the door-casing against the tension of the spring, as will be readily understood from the drawings. The lower end of the transon-rod is provided with a handle H to facilitate the manipulation and raising and lowering of the rod. When the handle is grasped and the transom-rod drawn outward, the plates F and F are caused to move from each other, as shown in Fig. 4:, so that the edges of their holes will not impinge or bite against the rod. This permits the rod to be moved up or down and the transom opened or closed. As soon, however, as the handle is released the spring forces the rod in toward the door-casing, which permits the plates F and F to drop into the position shown in Fig. 2, so as to bite or impinge against the rod and hold it from moving up or down in any desired position. In this way the rod may be moved up or down any -desired distance and the transom opened or closed any desired distance and held or locked in the desired position.

WVhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a transom-lifter, the combination of a vertically-movable lifting-rod, a box or case having elongated openings for the passage of the rod, grip-plates pivoted in the box or casing with their free ends inclining toward each other and having openings through which the rod passes larger in diameter than the rod, whereby the moving of the rod outward spreads the grip-plates and releases the rod from engagement therewith while moving the rod inward permits the free ends of the gripplates to again approach each other and restore the engagement, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a transom rod, means for connecting the transom-rod with a transom, a box or casing through which the transom-rod passes, pivoted plates in the box or case through which the transom-rod passes adapted to bite or impinge against the transom-rod and hold it from movement when the transom-rod is in its in position toward the door-casing and permit movement when the rod is moved from the door-casing,and a spring for holding the transom-rod in its in position when released from pressure, substantially as described.

3. The combination of an arm adapted to be attached to a transom, a transom-rod, a

link connecting the top of the transom-rod with the arm, a box or case through which the transom-rod passes,r0cking bars E, plates in the box or case pivoted to the rocking bars and through which the transom-rod passes adapted to bite or impinge against the tran som-rod and hold it from movement when the transom rod is in its in position toward the door-casing, and permit movement when the rod ismoved from the door-casing, and means for holding the transom-rod in its in position when released from pressure, substantially 0 as described.

CHARLES A. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS A. BANNING, THOMAS B. MoGREcoR. 

